COMPOSIT - The Future Use of Composites in Transport
Overview
Background & policy context:
Composite materials, such as fibre reinforced plastics and sandwich panels, have considerable potential for increased use in the next generation of transport structures. They are lightweight, durable, and readily moulded to shape.
However, there are also additional complexities associated with the use of composites, particularly in terms of design and manufacture. These complexities, together with issues of cost, are currently limiting their adoption by the transport sectors.
Objectives:
The aim of the COMPOSIT thematic network was to bring together researchers, designers, manufacturers and end-users of composite materials across the aerospace, automotive and rail industries. The intention was to encourage knowledge transfer and promote best practice in the use of composites within the transport system.
By identifying and ultimately addressing the composite material research needs of the transport sectors it is anticipated that the legacy of COMPOSIT will be:
- (i) new and improved concepts for composite material transport applications leading to an increased usage of composites and better vehicle solutions,
- (ii) improved competitiveness for the composites industry by reducing development costs and time-to-market for new transportation products, and
- (iii) the creation of an infrastructure for sustainable inter-industry co-operation.
Methodology:
Throughout 2002 and 2003, workshops were held on ten of the most critical issues associated with the use of composite materials in the aerospace, automotive and rail industries. These ten issues were repair, design and structural simulation, crashworthiness, manufacturing, light weighting, joining, recycling, modelling, fire safety, and new material concepts.
Each workshop provided a forum for comparison, collaboration and cross-fertilisation between the different sectors. As an output from each workshop, priorities for future research activity to meet the needs of the transport sectors were identified.
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